1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a semiconductor device with at least two semiconductor elements of which at least one can be controlled, in form of semiconductor elements which are insulated, respectively passivated at their rim, and provided with electrodes, being electrically connected with each other and arranged in a common housing, whereby two main terminals for connecting the anode and cathode, and another main terminal being the center tap with the semiconductor elements in series and, finally, the control terminal are all brought out of the housing at one side.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In known semiconductor devices controllable and non-controllable semiconductor components, i.e. thyristors and diodes, may be combined in a housing into a so-called module. According to the respective applications, the two semiconductor elements are arranged parallel, antiparallel or in series. In the parallel- or anti-parallel arrangement, two terminals are brought out of the housing, for example, as anode- and cathode terminal. When the two semiconductor elements are connected in series, a third main terminal is provided as a center tap. Thereby the main terminals are disposed in a row, and the center tap is spatially positioned at the end of this row. The connecting leads to the control electrodes are made in the form of screw- or plug in connections, with a corresponding lesser cross-section. ("Power Semiconductors" of March 1974 by the firm AEI Semiconductors (Publication 111) pages 48/49; furthermore "Datenblatt Thyristor moduln"Thy F 75/ G 75/ H 75 of Siemens AG, Erlangen). This arrangement has the advantage that when for example, two modules with two semiconductor elements in series in each are used for building a full-wave rectifier bridge, the two center taps are easily accessible for the connection of the alternating current lines.
The inside construction of these semiconductor devices is known, for example, from German Petty Pat. No. DE-Gm 75 12 573 and German Published, Non-prosecuted Application No. DE-OS 23 37 694.
For the connection between the trigger pulse generator and the thyristor, two leads are required, whereby one lead goes to the control electrode, and the other lead goes to the cathode, if the trigger pulse is applied as usual to the control electrode-cathode gap, as is usually done. Because the main terminals, which lead to the anodes and cathodes, and the trigger terminals which lead to the control electrodes have very different wire cross sections, and also show a variety of different connection techniques, problems do arise and so do additional costs when such devices are used. Thyristor devices that are presently marketed are approximately 20 mm wide, and have a plug-in system for the trigger leads (compare data sheet of the firm Semicron Gesellschaft fur Gleichrichterbau und Electronik mgH, Nurnberg: SKKT 40, SKKH40). Thereby, the terminals G1 and G2 have the form of either a Faston-plug 2.8 mm.times.0.8 mm or of round plugs.